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Scientists at NEC's research laboratories have fabricated the world's most powerful 405 nm continuous-wave GaN laser.

As semiconductor manufacturers look towards volume production of blue lasers for next-generation DVD applications, NEC researchers have developed a powerful GaN source that ought to boost the writing speed of rewritable drives based on the technology.

Developed at the Japanese company's System Device Research Laboratories, the 405 nm laser emits a world-record 300 mW in continuous-wave mode.

Fabricated using NEC's proprietary technology, the laser diode features a planar structure with a buried AlN inner stripe. The structure is grown using "multiple epitaxy technology", the research team told Compoundsemiconductor.net.

With a threshold current of 35 mA, the output power of the laser reaches around 200 mW at a drive current of 150 mA.

NEC demonstrated the laser at the recent CEATEC Japan 2004 technology exhibition, at which several companies from both the Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD industry groups showed off their next-generation DVD technology.

Its subsidiary NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices will have a prototype laser ready for sampling to customers in 2005, and volume manufacturing will take place at the company's Kansai plant in Otsu, Japan.